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STAHL, teaser
“Where am I?” “You are aboard your ship.” “I.. I died!” “In many ways you have indeed old friend, but your story is not over.” “Is this the after life?” “No I did not allow you to go that far, once you cross that veil. There is no return.” The complete darkness that surrounded everything, not just his eyes but his mind and his very being, slowly faded. He blinked and opened his eyes, while doing so he remembered. He remembered everything. He screamed and then sat up, still terribly confused. His mind flooded with images, names and memories. Everything familiar and everything so strange. He found himself sitting in an open casket, the flag of the United Stars of the Galaxies still draped over the lower part. The upper lid torn away by something very strong, as evident in the twisted remnants of Duranium steel still attached to the hinges. The place was dark, except for the main view screen, displaying the endless night of deep space. He knew where was, this was the bridge of the USS Devastator. His coffin had been placed where the central command seat used to be. It was terribly cold! He was wearing his very first uniform, called the dress blue of the United States Marine Corps. Whatever he looked at, he knew instantly what it was and he was certain this was the idea of his beloved wife. She most certainly had him dressed like that for his final journey. He remembered the last day. The Incub-Infiltrator, the last battle and the relentless bio machines tearing through his battle suit. He remembered giving Centron the Terminus command activating an ancient intruder containment weapon, a system that considered everything hostile that was not of the original Seenian crew, including him. The moment of death was vague, nothing but darkness, and now this. He pinched himself and realized he was hungry. The same time he smelled something horrible. There was a very strange wet sensation where he was sitting. He was alive, no Zombie or Vampire would poop in his pants the second it got resurrected. He now also remembered that there was someone with him. Out of the deep shadows a hooded figure moved into faint light of distant stars displayed on the huge screen. The man once known as the Eternal Warrior wiped his mouth and whispered. “You!” “Yes old friend it is I.” “The Dark One...Eric?” “I have no need for titles or names, but for you I will always be Eric.” “Why have you brought me back?” “You weren't completely gone if I may borrow such human terms. To the dead and to me time as perceived by the living has little meaning. I have brought you back because your task, the very reason you have been chosen, is not finished. This is why you have been made immortal and this is the reason you have not been completely dead. You would have woken on your own, only to die for real because even an immortal body need sustenance. I thought you might prefer waking with me present, Richard.” He remembered his name, Richard Stahl. “Yes this is indeed preferable and I am terribly sorry about all this. The stench and everything.” “You know that there is nothing you need to apologize for and there is nothing that could lessen the respect and love I still feel for you.” The enigmatic shrouded entity, known as the Dark One, a god-like being with incomprehensible abilities, whispered to be the personification of Anti life itself, actually chuckled under his voluminous hood. “I think this is justice, old friend. It was here when I met you for the first time and it was me who peed in my pants.” Stahl remembered. “Yes, back then you were still human.” “I may not be human anymore, but I have not yet completely forgotten.” The shrouded being raised his hand with it the ship came to life. Lights came on and it became warmer almost instantly. The coffin disappeared and the command chair grew back where it had always been. The star field on the screen disappeared and a greenish rendering of an artificial face appeared. “Centron online, Sir. “ Stahl could not fight the tears as he said. “Good to hear your voice again, Centron.” “It does create positive reactions in my entire system to see you well Sir.” “What is the ships status?” “All systems are at one hundred percent. I can not detect any battle damage. Fuel at maximum capacity.” “How long... what year is it?” “The year is 6012 OTT.” “Where are we?” “We are in trans galactic space within the local group and 4,453 light-years from the nearest Union outpost, Brennan's Rim.” Stahl turned to the still present entity. “Why did you bring me back now, The Incubi?” “No, you defeated them and our sacrifice made the entire Union so angry, there is nothing left of this menace.” “You spoke of a purpose of a task undone.” “Yes, Old friend, not only the Union was angry when you sacrificed yourself, your friends became angry, I became angry.” Richard wiped his mouth again. “You became angry..." Category:Stories Category:Fragments Category:Edited by Renaud